Chomutov


Chomutov is a city in the Czech Republic, in the Ústí nad Labem Region. Chomutov has been a statutory city since 1 July 2006. It occupies an area of 29.26 km² and has almost 50,000 inhabitants. There are almost 80,000 inhabitants in the city's wider metropolitan area.

Geography

The city is located on the river Chomutovka, at the foot of the Ore Mountains. The surface is mostly flat with some hills in the north and southeast of the city.

Administrative division

Chomutov is a municipality with extended competence, meaning the city holds certain administrative powers delegated from the state government. Of the 24 other municipalities that make up the metropolitan area, one has an authorized municipality office, meaning it is delegated some parts of the authority of a municipality with extended competence. The administrative territory of Chomutov borders with Germany in the north. Additionally, it borders with the territories of Kadaň in the west, Louny in the south, Most in the east and Litvínov in the northeast.

History

In 1252 Chomutov came into the possession of the Teutonic Order. The Gothic church of St. Catharine built during that era still stands to this day. In 1396 Chomutov received a town charter, and in 1416 the knights sold both the town and the lordship to Wenceslaus IV. On March 16, 1421, the town was stormed, sacked and burned by the Taborites. After several upheavals and changes of ownership, Chomutov was taken by Popel of Lobkovic in 1588, who established Jesuit rule, leading to trouble between the Protestant citizens and the town's new overlord. In 1594 the feudal lordship fell to the crown, and in 1605 the town purchased its freedom and was made a royal city. After the Thirty Years' War, Chomutov stagnated. Rapid development did not come until the second half of the 19th century, with advances in the mining and heavy industries.
By 1938 Chomutov had over 30,000 inhabitants. Part of the Sudetenland, it had a population comprising about 95% ethnic Germans. A very small Jewish population,, came under increasing pressure, and Chomutov was declared "Judenrein" on September 23, 1938 by the increasingly pro-Nazi administration. A week later, Chomutov and its surrounding districts were occupied by Nazi Germany as a result of the 1938 Munich Agreement. This broader, north-western border area of what is the modern-day Czech Republic was annexed by Germany and reorganized as the Reichsgau Sudetenland.
After 1945, the previous population, German by a large majority, was expelled. Industrial facilities and large high-rise housing projects were then built to redevelop the area. In the late 1970s an urban settlement was built, linking Chomutov with its neighbouring Jirkov. Following the Velvet Revolution of 1989, the heavy industry significantly decreased its activity, but the environment in and around the town has been visibly improved. The leisure facilities of the area were emphasised, notably the Alum lake, the Chomutov Zoo, and the Bezruč Valley recreational area.

Development of population

Historical sights

The centre of the historical city is in the shape of an oblong, and is surrounded by arcades. The Square of 1 May with its baroque Pillar of Trinity by Ambrož Laurentis from 1697 is banked by seven statues of saints built between 1725 and 1732.
The Town Hall is situated in the northwest side and it used to be a commendam until 1607. The Town Hall is situated next to the church of St. Catherine built in early Gothic style and finished in 1281.
On the opposite side there is the church of Assumption Virgin Mary, built in late Gothic style between 1518 and 1542, which is situated next to the 53 m tall City Tower which was renovated after the fire in 1525 and which is used as an observation tower.
At the end of the south side there is the Baroque church of St. Ignatz with two towers on the north frontage. The church was built for Jesuits by Carlo Lurago between 1663 and 1671. The building called Špejchar from the 17th century was used by Jesuits as earlier church and it adjoins the east side of the church of St. Ignatz. Nowadays it is used as a gallery.
There is a Jesuitical dormitory south of the church of St. Ignatz from the 16th and 17th century which is nowadays a settlement of the city museum. The most important building from the Gothic residential houses is the late Gothic house no. 9, which is at the bottom of the northeast side of the square.
Alum Lake, at an altitude of 337 m, is located on the northeast edge of Chomutov. It was caused at the end of the 18th century by flooding the mines used between the 16th and 18th centuries. It occupies an area of 16.3 ha, the maximum depth is 3.25 m and its volume is 285,000 m³. The high content of alum in the water from Alum Lake prevents the lake from the growth of weed and anabaena. For that reason it is very frequently visited in the summer months.
The Ore Mountains Zoo borders with the Alum Lake on its north side. It is a zoo concentrated mostly on breeding European and mainly domestic wild animals.
Bezruč Valley is a 13 km long and 200 m deep woody valley on the river Chomutovka in the northwestern side of the city and it is a popular place for trips.
Strážiště Hill rises over the northern edge of Chomutov and on its peak there is a hotel with an observation tower.

Transport

Roads through Chomutov:
Railways in Chomutov:
Public transport
Transport around the town Chomutov is operated by buses since 1995 and also by trolleybuses. The operator of the trolleybus line is The Public Transport of Chomutov and Jirkov.

Notable people

Chomutov is twinned with: